After a 10-month hunt, the Bandra police finally arrested a 38-year-old woman and a tattoo artist, said to be her aide, for allegedly taking up domestic help jobs and committing the thefts at employer's house on the very first day.

According to the police, the main accused, Vinita Gaikwad, is a habitual offender, with around 50 theft cases filed against her. She used to target upscale areas, including Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Juhu, Versova and Amboli, said the officials. Gaikwad, and Uday Nikam, 30, both residents of Mahul, were arrested on January 3 and 11, respectively. While the former is currently in judicial custody, the latter, who is also a history-sheeter, has been remanded to police custody.

They were on the police radar following a complaint by a 71-year-old businessman. After securing the job of domestic help, Gaikwad had allegedly stolen items worth Rs11 lakh from the senior citizen's apartment on Mount Mary Road, Bandra West in April 2024.

Describing Gaikwad's modus operandi, the police said that she approached families under the guise of being a house help. Within just a few hours on her first day of work, she would allegedly make off with ornaments or cash, citing any excuse. “First, she would approach watchmen of high-rise buildings, claiming that someone had called her for a house-help job,” said the cops

Often, at least one family in the building would be looking for a maid and would ask the watchman to find one. Hence, the guards would inform the family that a maid has arrived, said the police, adding that she gained entry into flats using this ingenious method.

“Once allowed into the flat, Gaikwad would agree to start work on the same day. Under the pretence of cleaning, she would enter bedrooms and steal ornaments or cash, sensing the opportune moment. Subsequently, the accused would leave within a few hours, pretending she had other work,” said the cops.

In the case of the Bandra businessman too, he was looking for a maid and had asked the building’s security guard about hiring one. Her associate, Nikam, runs a tattoo making shop in Mahul. Investigations revealed that Gaikwad had sold some stolen items to him.